Frames for warp-tying or knotting machines



p 0, 1968 A. ALTENWEGER 3,400,424

FRAMES FOR WARP-TYING OR KNOTTING MACHINES Filed June 21, 1966 3 (PX r"A i 111a12i1617'1s A United States Patent 3,400,424 FRAMES FORWARP-TYING 0R KNOTTIN G. MACHINES Alois Altenweger, Uster, Switzerland,assignor to Zellweger Ltd., Uster, Switzerland, a corporation ofSwitzerland Filed June 21, 1966, Ser. No. 559,295 Claims priority,application Switzerland, July 14, 1965, 10,121/65 3 Claims. (Cl. 16-35)ABSTRACT OF THEDI SCLGSURE A frame for warp-tying or knotting machinesincluding at least one guide roller which can be pivoted about avertical axis or locked against pivoting by means of a spring'biasedlever engageable with a stationary slotted or notched disc and aresilient member for selectively maintaining the lever out of engagementwith the notched disc. against the spring bias.

This invention relates in general to weaving apparatus, and moreparticularly to frames for warp-tying or knotting machines.

Frames for warp-tying or knotting machines have a considerable width andare generally extremely heavy. In addition, the space available formoving the frames in and around the looms is generally very narrow, sothat the frames themselves have to be designed in such a way as to beuniversally maneuverable.

For this reason, conventional frames are mounted on guide rollers whichcan be swung or pivoted in all directions about a vertical axis, thusenabling the frame to be moved in any direction. Unfortunately, such aconstruction'requires considerable care on-the part of the operatorbecause the pivotable guide rollers have a tendency to swivel,necessitating careful guiding of the frame which in turn involves theapplication of considerable forces. In any event, the frame must beprevented from striking obstacles when it is moved, since due to itssize and weight it would either damage these obstacles or would itselfbe damaged. Since, in addition, the operator has only one free hand withwhich to move the frame, it is impos sible for a frame mounted on fourfreely movable guide rollers or castors to be safely maneuvered. Forexample, minor irregularities in the surface of the floor are sufficientto 'twistthe guide rollers in such a way that the frame can suddenlystart-to travel in another direction, and, owing to its considerableweight, will strike obstacles with some force.

' An object of the present invention is'to obviate these disadvantagesand inconveniences inherent in known constructions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide aframe forwarp-tying or-knotting machines which may be universally movable andconvertible to restricted movement in but a single direction.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a frame ofthe type described which may be easily and safely moved under varyingconditions of space and floor surface contour. V

Accordingly, the invention provides a frame for warptying machines andthe like comprising at least one guide roller which is provided with areleasable locking device which forces the guide roller to travelin butone direction predetermined relative to the frame itself.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention willbecome clearer from the following detailed specification descriptivethereof when taken in conjunction With the accompanying drawings whichillustrate 3,400,424 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 one exemplary embodiment ofthe invention, and where- FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, of one foot of a frame incorporating a guide roller inaccordance with the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the guide roller of th invention taken alongline A-A of FIGURE 1.

Looking now to FIGURE 1, a frame 1 of the type known in connection withwarp-tying and knotting machines has at least one guide rollerconstruction in accordance with the present invention for providingrolling support for the frame. The guide roller construction includes aroller or wheel 4 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis 6 betweentwo forks or arms 5 which are carried by an axial bearing 3 secured tosupport pin 2. The support pin is, in turn, mounted in the frame 1 withthe axial bearing 3 taking up the vertical forces on the guide rollerconstruction and providing for rotation of the roller 4 freely in anydirection with respect to the pin 2. The forks or arms 5 are inclinedwith respect to the axis of pin 2 so that the horizontal axis ofrotation 6 of the roller lies in a plane spaced from the pin 2, or atleast the vertical axis thereof.

A cover 19 is fixed to the frame 1 and accommodates the component partsof the locking device in accordance with the invention. The lockingdevice comprises a latch plate 13 which is mounted so as to be rotatableabout a spindle 12 and is rotated counter-clockwise by a spring 16. Alever arm 15 is connected to the latch plate 13 for selective rotationthereof and projects upwards through a slot 20 in the cover 19. In thisposition, the lever 15 rests against an end 21 of the slot 20 due to thebias provided by spring 16.

Beneath the axial bearing 3, the arms 5 supporting the guide roller 4are secured to a locking disc 11 formed with at least one notch orgroove 14 (FIG. 2). The latch plate 13 drops into this notch 14 when theguide roller 4 has been pivoted to travel in a predetermined direction,and prevents it from moving in other directions. A second notch 14' isadvantageously formed diagonally opposite the notch 14 in the latchplate 13 so that the guide roller can be locked in at least twodirections separated from each other by In order to release the guideroller, it is suflicient to apply to the lever 15 a pressure directedagainst the bias pressure of the spring 16, as a result of which theplate 13 is lifted out of the notch I 14, thus releasing the guideroller for free rotation.

With the latch plate 13 inserted into notch 14 or 14 in locking disc 11,the guide roller is secured in a posi tion orthogonal to the frame 1 andis maintained in this position regardless of the contour of the surfaceover which it travels. The frame can thus be moved over a straight linepath with case. When it is necessary to maneuver the frame 1 in closequarters, the locking device can be released by operating the lever 15so that the guide roller is free to rotate to permit universal movementof the frame.

The latch plate 13 is advantageously designed in such a way that it canalso be kept permanently out of engagement with the notch 14 in caseswhere, for example, it is desired to bring the frame between two looms,for which purpose all of the guide rollers supporting the frame have tobe freely movable. For this purpose, the latch plate 13 has a projectionor nose 17 and in a circular path of travel of which is a locking roller18 with a resilient surface of, for example, rubber. If sufficientpressure is applied to the lever 15 in the clockwise direction, theprojection or nose 17 will depress or indent the surface of the lockingroller 18 to such an extent that it will move into the position shown inbroken lines in FIGURE 1. The spring 16, however, is of insufiicientstrength to rotate the projection 17 back over the locking roller 18.Only an adequate pressure on the lever 15 in a counter-clockwisedirection in conjunction with the pressure of spring 16 will return theprojection 17 over the surface of the locking roller into the positionin which the latch plate 13 can drop into one of the notches 14 or 14'.

The cover 19 (together with an overhang 19 to accommodate the latchplate 13 and the locking roller 8) is considerably longer than the spacerequired to mount the pin 2 alone. In order to prevent the width of theframe from being additionally increased as a result of this, theoverhang 19 is so arranged in relation to the frame that it is directedtoward the opposite foot of the frame. The operator is thus able toguide the frame, for example straight to a machine room, optionally onlocked guide rollers, and to release the guide rollers by operating thelever 15 with his foot at the time that increased maneuverability isrequired in order to bring the frame between two looms and to move itinto the required position.

The drawing illustrates but a single guide roller construction so as toprovide a simplified and as uncomplicated an illustration of theinvention as possible; however, as apparent from the foregoingdescription four guide roller constructions would be ordinarily providedin connection with each frame, although a lesser number of lockablerollers could also be utilized to advantage.

While there has been shown and described one exemplary embodiment inaccordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same isnot limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes andmodifications as known to a person skilled in the art, and I thereforedo not Wish to be limited to the details shown and described therein,but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as areencompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a frame for wrap-tying and knotting machines, aguide roller construction comprising:

guide roller means including a guide roller, support means for mountingsaid roller for rotation about a first axis, a pivot pin having a secondaxis transverse to said first axis, and an axial bearing interconnectingsaid pivot pin and said support means, and

releasable locking means for locking said axial bearing,

a cover secured to said pivot pin and a notched disc secured to saidsupport means, said releasable locking means being supported on saidcover for locking said cover against movement with respect to saidguider roller including pivot lever means movable between a firstposition and a second position in engagement with said notched disc, andspring means biasing said pivot lever to said second position,

said releasable locking means further including resilient means formaintaining said pivot lever means in said first position against thebias of said spring means.

2. A guide roller construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said pivotlever means includes a projection engageable with said resilient means,said resilient means being disposed in the path of said projection anddeformable under predetermined pressure by said projection to allow saidprojection to pass to the opposite side thereof.

3. A guide roller construction as defined in claim 1 wherein saidresilient means is in the form of a cylinder having a resilient rubbersleeve disposed thereabout.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 875,245 12/1907 Darrow 16352,188,648 1/1940 Bouvier et al. 16-35 2,972,163 2/1961 Ross et al. 1635BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

D. L. TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner.

